Don Pedro Island is a barrier island in southwest Florida, in Charlotte County. It is just north of Little Gasparilla Island, separated by a thin strip of beach and mangrove swamp. It lies west of the census-designated place of Rotonda West, separated by a narrow channel. It is separated from Stump Pass Beach State Recreation Area and Knight Island by Stump Pass to the north, and borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west.
There are many private residences on the island. Access to the island is by boat only.
While there is a steady increase in private development, the island continues to have an abundance of wildlife and natural beauty. There are a number of indigenous gopher turtles, snakes and rabbits. There is also quite a variety of birds including osprey, pelicans, great blue herons, frigate birds, woodpeckers and owls (to name a few).
The beaches are well known for their abundance of shark's teeth and shells.
Don Pedro Island State Park is located on the north side of the island.
Showing posts with label Florida coast islands. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Florida coast islands. Show all posts
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Friday, June 4, 2010
Islands of the World, #9: Dog Island, Florida
Dog Island is located in the Florida Gulf coast just 3.5 miles off-shore from Carrabelle, Florida in Franklin County, Florida.
Location
The island is partly sheltering St. George Sound and Apalachicola Bay. It's the eastern-most part of a chain of barrier islands located off the northern panhandle of Florida just offshore from where the Crooked River merges into the Carrabelle River and then into St. George Sound. Other barrier islands in this chain include St.Vincent Island, Cape St. George Island, and St. George Island.
This island is small at 6.8 miles in length, accessible only by boat, ferry or airplane. The Nature Conservancy owns most of the island, while some parts are privately owned residential property.
Origin
The island and its two neighbors were discovered by the French in 1536 and named the Dog Islands, because 1) wild dogs were found on them; 2) the islands resemble a crouched dog, or 3) the early ships put their common sailors - known as dogs - on the islands before docking on the mainland so they could not jump ship. Later, the two neighbors were renamed: St. Vincent, which is a Federal wildlife refuge, and St. George, which has a causeway and is, naturally, a booming resort community.
Indians used Dog Island as a fishing camp, and the 1985 hurricanes uncovered pot shards found on the west end. After World War II, Jeff Lewis, a Florida businessman, saw its potential as a vacation area and paid $12,000 for the island.
History
Dog Island has some evidence of human presence dating back as early as 8,000 years ago. The island also has a rich maritime history. The discovery of a 9th century canoe is a testament to prehistoric mariners on the island. During the 17th century and 18th century the barrier islands became a haven of piracy and smuggling.
18th century
On February 16, 1766, Le Tigre, a French merchant brigantine, was on route to New Orleans and wrecked 300 yards east of Dog Island in a great storm. A survivor, Monsieur Pierre Viaud, chronicled the experience.
In 1799, the Royal Navy purchased the HMS Fox, a 14 gun British war schooner only to see it wreck later that year.
During the Civil War, Dog Island was used by the Union Navy as a base for staging the blockade of Apalachicola.
19th century
As part of the United States, economic shipping greatly increased as St. Marks, St. Joseph, and Apalachicola became major ports on the Gulf Coast. Both sail and steam ships traveled to Dog Island to exploit its resources of lumber and naval stores such as turpentine and pitch products. In 1838, Dog Island Light, was built on the western tip of the island. In 1899, the 2nd hurricane of the season struck the area almost destroying the town of Carrabelle leaving just nine homes. Roughly 6 miles inland at McIntyre only two mill boilers were left. The summer resort of Lanark Inn was said to be "blown in to the Gulf". The Carrabelle, Tallahassee and Georgia Railroad was destroyed for a distance of 30 miles and a locomotive on the track was displaced some 100 yards off the track.
Fifteen ships were completely destroyed in a hurricane with 12 loaded with lumber. They were:
American ships
James A. Garfield, a schooner, under the command of Capt. Cottingham.
Mary E. Morse a schooner, under the command of Capt. Densmore.
Benjamin C. Cromwell, a schooner under the command of Capt. McClean.
Grace Andrews, a schooner under the command of Capt. Brown.
Warren Adams, a schooner under the command of Capt. Gibbons
Vidette, a barkentine under the command of Capt. Waldren.
Capitola, a steamship
Iola, a steamship
Albert Haley, a fishing smack.
Norwegian ships
Ranavola, bark under the command of Capt. Edwardson.
Vale, a bark, under the command of Capt. Andersen.
Elsbeth, a bark under the command of Capt. Pedersen.
Jafnhar, a bark under the command of Capt. Tygensen.
Hindoo, a bark under the command of Capt. Madsen.
Russian ships:
Latara, a bark under the command of Capt. Krantman
Italian ships
Corteria, a bark which was split in half
Another 40 ships under 20 tons were sunk or destroyed.
20th century
During World War II, Dog Island was part of Camp Gordon Johnston. Four separate camps comprised the complex: three for regimental combat teams, and the fourth for the headquarters and support facilities. Dog Island was used for amphibious landings and airdrops.
A project, Dog Island Shipwreck Survey, was begun in 1999 by Florida State University to systematically search the waters off Dog Island, using acoustic and electromagnetic devices, to discover historic shipwrecks.
Location
The island is partly sheltering St. George Sound and Apalachicola Bay. It's the eastern-most part of a chain of barrier islands located off the northern panhandle of Florida just offshore from where the Crooked River merges into the Carrabelle River and then into St. George Sound. Other barrier islands in this chain include St.Vincent Island, Cape St. George Island, and St. George Island.
This island is small at 6.8 miles in length, accessible only by boat, ferry or airplane. The Nature Conservancy owns most of the island, while some parts are privately owned residential property.
Origin
The island and its two neighbors were discovered by the French in 1536 and named the Dog Islands, because 1) wild dogs were found on them; 2) the islands resemble a crouched dog, or 3) the early ships put their common sailors - known as dogs - on the islands before docking on the mainland so they could not jump ship. Later, the two neighbors were renamed: St. Vincent, which is a Federal wildlife refuge, and St. George, which has a causeway and is, naturally, a booming resort community.
Indians used Dog Island as a fishing camp, and the 1985 hurricanes uncovered pot shards found on the west end. After World War II, Jeff Lewis, a Florida businessman, saw its potential as a vacation area and paid $12,000 for the island.
History
Dog Island has some evidence of human presence dating back as early as 8,000 years ago. The island also has a rich maritime history. The discovery of a 9th century canoe is a testament to prehistoric mariners on the island. During the 17th century and 18th century the barrier islands became a haven of piracy and smuggling.
18th century
On February 16, 1766, Le Tigre, a French merchant brigantine, was on route to New Orleans and wrecked 300 yards east of Dog Island in a great storm. A survivor, Monsieur Pierre Viaud, chronicled the experience.
In 1799, the Royal Navy purchased the HMS Fox, a 14 gun British war schooner only to see it wreck later that year.
During the Civil War, Dog Island was used by the Union Navy as a base for staging the blockade of Apalachicola.
19th century
As part of the United States, economic shipping greatly increased as St. Marks, St. Joseph, and Apalachicola became major ports on the Gulf Coast. Both sail and steam ships traveled to Dog Island to exploit its resources of lumber and naval stores such as turpentine and pitch products. In 1838, Dog Island Light, was built on the western tip of the island. In 1899, the 2nd hurricane of the season struck the area almost destroying the town of Carrabelle leaving just nine homes. Roughly 6 miles inland at McIntyre only two mill boilers were left. The summer resort of Lanark Inn was said to be "blown in to the Gulf". The Carrabelle, Tallahassee and Georgia Railroad was destroyed for a distance of 30 miles and a locomotive on the track was displaced some 100 yards off the track.
Fifteen ships were completely destroyed in a hurricane with 12 loaded with lumber. They were:
American ships
James A. Garfield, a schooner, under the command of Capt. Cottingham.
Mary E. Morse a schooner, under the command of Capt. Densmore.
Benjamin C. Cromwell, a schooner under the command of Capt. McClean.
Grace Andrews, a schooner under the command of Capt. Brown.
Warren Adams, a schooner under the command of Capt. Gibbons
Vidette, a barkentine under the command of Capt. Waldren.
Capitola, a steamship
Iola, a steamship
Albert Haley, a fishing smack.
Norwegian ships
Ranavola, bark under the command of Capt. Edwardson.
Vale, a bark, under the command of Capt. Andersen.
Elsbeth, a bark under the command of Capt. Pedersen.
Jafnhar, a bark under the command of Capt. Tygensen.
Hindoo, a bark under the command of Capt. Madsen.
Russian ships:
Latara, a bark under the command of Capt. Krantman
Italian ships
Corteria, a bark which was split in half
Another 40 ships under 20 tons were sunk or destroyed.
20th century
During World War II, Dog Island was part of Camp Gordon Johnston. Four separate camps comprised the complex: three for regimental combat teams, and the fourth for the headquarters and support facilities. Dog Island was used for amphibious landings and airdrops.
A project, Dog Island Shipwreck Survey, was begun in 1999 by Florida State University to systematically search the waters off Dog Island, using acoustic and electromagnetic devices, to discover historic shipwrecks.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Islands of the World #8: Cape St. George Island, Florida
Cape St. George Island, Florida(also known as Little St. George Island) is an uninhabited barrier island situated on Florida’s North Gulf Coast, south-southeast of St. Vincent Island, west of St. George Island and 8-10 miles south-southwest of the town of Apalachicola in Franklin County, Florida. It was formerly part of St. George Island, but was separated from the main island in 1954, when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers constructed the ship channel known as Bob Sikes Cut.
History
Various Indian cultures occupied St. George Island for hundreds of years prior to the arrival of Europeans. Pottery fragments dating from A.D. 750 to 1450 occasionally are found on older portions of the island.
Throughout the 1830's Apalachicola became Florida's largest port due to the booming cotton industry. With such a large volume of ships entering and leaving Apalachicola Bay a lighthouse was necessary. In 1831 the Florida Territorial Legislature was awarded an $11,800 Congressional appropriation to build a new lighthouse. The first lighthouse was constructed at the west end of the island in 1833 near West Pass, which was the main entrance to the bay.
Due to the shape of St. George Island a second lighthouse was constructed at the southernmost tip to better guide ships. The second lighthouse only lasted three years due to poor construction and powerful storms. A replacement lighthouse was constructed in 1852 and stood over 500 yards inland from the Gulf. However, by 1990 beach erosion left the lighthouse vulnerable. The lighthouse finally succumbed to the weather and toppled into the water July 10, 2005. A new replica of the Cape St. George lighthouse was finished December 1, 2006 on St. George Island.
Pine trees on Cape St. George Island were "catfaced" used to make turpentine from 1910 through 1916. During World War II the island served as a practice gunnery range for B-24 bombers stationed in nearby Apalachicola. From 1950 through 1956 the pine trees were again harvested for turpentine. The old buildings of the turpentine camp are still in existence at the Government Dock.
Cape St. George Island was purchased in 1977 under the Environmentally Endangered Lands program to protect it from development and to contribute to the protection of Apalachicola Bay. It is now Cape St. George State Reserve. The reserve is managed by the Florida Department of Natural Resources, Division of Recreation and Parks in cooperation with the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission. The reserve's remoteness and wilderness qualities provide an opportunity to explore and enjoy a remnant of Florida's original natural landscape.
Geography
The island has extensive savannahs, old relic sand dune ridges and sand dunes and salt marshes. Ponds and marshes are found in the low swales between the old dune ridges. A small coastal hammock and black willow swamp can also be found.
Vegetation
Cape St. George Island is covered by several plant communities. Scrub and sea oats can be found on the newer dunes, Slash pine flatwoods are found in the low swales and savannahs. Scattered cabbage palmetto are found on overwash portions at the east and west ends of the island.
Wildlife
There are few mammals on the island due to the distance from the mainland, raccoons are the most common. However, birds are very diverse and abundant during migration in the spring and fall. In 1997 a population of Red Wolf was introduced to the island. The endangered peregrine falcon and bald eagle also nest there. Threatened loggerhead sea turtles nest on the beach during the summer, as do oystercatchers and the endangered snowy plovers. Cottonmouths are common in the ponds and marshes.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Islands of the World #7: Gasparilla, Florida
Gasparilla Island is a barrier island in southwest Florida, United States, on the border of Charlotte and Lee Counties. Its largest town is Boca Grande and it is the location of the Gasparilla Island State Park.
Gasparilla was an important stop for phosphate shipping until the dredging of the Port of Tampa in the 1970s, and was a major vacation destination for the elite from Tampa and Fort Myers. Shipping has declined substantially since the last quarter of the 20th century, tourism remains important to the island's economy. Much of the development of this legend is the result of promotion by a local hotel and railroad line.
According to Florida folklore, Gasparilla Island gets its name from the legendary pirate captain José Gaspar ("Gasparilla", c. 1756 – 1821), who had his base on the island and purportedly hid his fabulous treasure there.
The forklore account does not appear in writing until about 1900, when it was included in an advertising brochure for the Charlotte Harbor and Northern Railroad company, which was given to the guests of the Boca Grande Hotel. It mentions that Gaspar's massive treasure, hidden somewhere on the island, had never been found. The version of the Gasparilla story told in the pamphlet influenced all later accounts, but is likely apocryphal. The name "Gasparilla" appears on maps dating to well before the time of the buccaneer; historians have suggested the island was named for a Spanish missionary named Gaspar or Gasparillo.
A trio of pet Mexican Spinytailed Iguanas, Ctenosaura pectinata, released on Gasparilla Island by a resident in the 1970s has led to a current population explosion of over 12,000 lizards.
Gasparilla Island is known for its fabulous tarpon fishing, which gave it the nickname of "The Tarpon Capital of the World". Each year, tarpon tournaments are held from early May until mid-July.
Gasparilla was an important stop for phosphate shipping until the dredging of the Port of Tampa in the 1970s, and was a major vacation destination for the elite from Tampa and Fort Myers. Shipping has declined substantially since the last quarter of the 20th century, tourism remains important to the island's economy. Much of the development of this legend is the result of promotion by a local hotel and railroad line.
According to Florida folklore, Gasparilla Island gets its name from the legendary pirate captain José Gaspar ("Gasparilla", c. 1756 – 1821), who had his base on the island and purportedly hid his fabulous treasure there.
The forklore account does not appear in writing until about 1900, when it was included in an advertising brochure for the Charlotte Harbor and Northern Railroad company, which was given to the guests of the Boca Grande Hotel. It mentions that Gaspar's massive treasure, hidden somewhere on the island, had never been found. The version of the Gasparilla story told in the pamphlet influenced all later accounts, but is likely apocryphal. The name "Gasparilla" appears on maps dating to well before the time of the buccaneer; historians have suggested the island was named for a Spanish missionary named Gaspar or Gasparillo.
A trio of pet Mexican Spinytailed Iguanas, Ctenosaura pectinata, released on Gasparilla Island by a resident in the 1970s has led to a current population explosion of over 12,000 lizards.
Gasparilla Island is known for its fabulous tarpon fishing, which gave it the nickname of "The Tarpon Capital of the World". Each year, tarpon tournaments are held from early May until mid-July.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Islands of the World #6: Marco Island, Florida
Marco Island is the largest of Florida's Ten Thousand Islands, located on the Gulf of Mexico in Southwest Florida.
Originally named San Marco Island by Spanish explorers, Marco Island is a city in Collier County. It is the principal city of the Naples–Marco Island Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 12,879 at the 2000 census.
The climate is subtropical with distinct wet and dry seasons with most of the rainfall falling between the months of June and October.
Geography
Marco Island is located at 25°56′26″N 81°42′53″W / 25.94056°N 81.71472°W / 25.94056; -81.71472 (25.940619, -81.714843)[3].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 17.1 mi² (44.3 km²). 10.6 mi² (27.4 km²) of it is land and 6.5 mi² (16.9 km²) of it (38.13%) is water.
Demographics
As of the 2000 census, there were 12,879 people, 7,134 households, and 5,200 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,407.1 people per square mile (543.5/km²). There were 14,826 housing units at an average density of 1,402.1/mi² (541.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.08% White, 0.24% African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.49% from other races, and 0.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.09% of the population.
Florida's Ten Thousand Islands:
The Ten Thousand Islands are a chain of islands and mangrove islets off the coast of Southwest Florida. Despite the name, the number of islets in the chain only number in the hundreds. Marco Island is the largest and northernmost island in the chain.
The 99-mile long Wilderness Waterway begins at Everglades City and ends at Flamingo at the southern tip of the Florida peninsula. Administrative control of the islands is split between Collier County and Monroe County.
Most of the Ten Thousand Islands are too small for human habitation to be practical, but some are suitable for overnight visits, as dictated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Since this is a wilderness area where wind, weather and lack of fresh water can become threatening, the Wildlife Service recommends only seasoned canoeists and sea kayakers attempt the trip. The southern tip has become a prime destination for snorkeling and water sports vacations. Some of the southeastern islands in the chain are included in the area of Everglades National Park.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Islands of the World #5: Anna Maria Island, Florida
Anna Maria Island, sometimes called Anna Maria Key, is a barrier island on the coast of Manatee County, Florida in the United States. It is bounded on the west by the Gulf of Mexico, on the south by Longboat Pass (which separates it from Longboat Key), on the east by Sarasota Bay and Sarasota Pass, and on the north by Tampa Bay. Anna Maria Island is approximately seven miles long north to south.
History
Anna Maria Island was discovered by local indian tribes the Timucan and Caloosan American Indian tribes and then by Spanish explorers (including Hernando DeSoto) in the name of the Spanish Crown. Hernando de Soto and his crew entered the mouth of Tampa Bay north of Anna Maria in May, 1539, but passed it by to make their landfall on the mainland.
In 1892 George Emerson Bean became the first permanent resident on the Island and homesteaded much of what is now the City of Anna Maria. After Bean's death in 1898, the land went to his son, George Wilhelm Bean, who partnered with Charles Roser, a wealthy real estate developer from St. Petersburg, to form the Anna Maria Beach Company to develop the area. The company laid out streets, built sidewalks and houses and installed a water system.
Name origin
Ponce de Leon was said to have named the island for Maria Anna von der Pfalz-Neuburg, the queen of Charles II of Spain, the sponsor of his expedition. In the past, pronunciation of the name differed: old timers said "Anna Mar-EYE-a," but most people today say "Anna Mar-EE-a." According to a regional historian of note, Lillian Burns, the daughter of the early land developer, Owen Burns, the correct pronunciation of the name of the island by its early settlers was, an-na ma-rye-a, since it was named for the strong winds occurring in the area, using the German term for the wind, Maria.
Municipalities
Anna Maria Island today is divided into the three cities of Anna Maria in the north, Holmes Beach in the middle, and Bradenton Beach in the south. In 2005 the United States Census Bureau estimated the combined population of the three cities at approximately 8,500.
Transportation
The main north-south road on the island is Gulf Drive, which begins on the south end of the island at the foot of the Longboat Pass Bridge from Longboat Key. Gulf Drive is the only road that runs the entire length of the island. It is State Road 789 south of Manatee Avenue in Holmes Beach and County Road 789 north of there.
There are two bridges across Sarasota Bay from the mainland: the Cortez Bridge, which brings State Road 684 into Bradenton Beach from Cortez, and the Manatee Avenue Bridge, which brings State Road 64 into Holmes Beach from the Palma Sola section of Bradenton. Each of these state roads terminates at its intersection with State Road 789.
Anna Maria Island is serviced by a free trolley-style bus that runs north and south on Gulf Drive. The trolley connects with both the MCAT (Manatee County Area Transit) system serving the greater Bradenton area, and the SCAT (Sarasota County Area Transit) system. The MCAT connects to the trolley at Manatee Public Beach, at the intersection of State Road 789 and State Road 64.[4] The SCAT connects to the trolley at Coquina Beach, at the south end of Anna Maria Island, just before the Longboat Key Bridge.[5] Several local taxi companies serve Anna Maria Island.
Anna Maria Island was only accessible by boat until 1921, when the wooden Cortez Bridge was constructed from the fishing village of Cortez to what is now Bridge Steet in Bradenton Beach. The remaining parts of the Cortez Bridge are used as a fishing pier.[6]
Tourism
Anna Maria Island has a thriving arts community. Cultural Connections, http://culturalconnections.info/, a coalition of the island's cultural venues, includes the Anna Maria Island Art League, http:www.IslandArtLeague.org/; Anna Maria Island Artists Guild, http://www.amiartistsguildgallery.com/; a local theater company, the Island Players, http://www.theislandplayers.org/; Anna Maria Island Community Chorus & Orchestra (AMICCO), http://www.amicco.org/, Anna Maria Island Historical Society, http://www.amihs.org/; Island Gallery West, http://www.islandgallerywest.com/; and The Studio at Gulf and Pine, http://www.studioatgulfandpine.com/. The group produces an island-wide arts weekend each November called artsHOP.
Anna Maria Island is also known as the "wedding capital of Florida." The Chamber of Commerce hosts an annual Wedding Festival.
With its crystal white beaches and an average year-round temperature of 74.8 degrees, Anna Maria Island is a year-round tourist attraction. Restaurants, resorts, gift and curio shops, real estate companies, and local watering holes dominate the economy.
Wildlife
From May through October in Florida, sea turtles come ashore to nest. Anna Maria Island is one of the many places in Florida that sea turtles nest on the beaches.[7] Protection of the sea turtles is an important aspect of the island culture, and information and training is available for tourists and locals in abundance. Manatees are also frequent summer visitors at Anna Maria Island, and similarly, the Manatee is held in great reverence by islanders. A subspecies of the Indian Manatee, these herbivores call Anna Maria Island their summer vacation home.[8] The entire island is a bird sanctuary, and pelicans, multiple types of cranes and herons, wild parrots, sand pipers, hawks, vultures, seagulls, and crows share the island with humans. Bottlenose dolphins can be observed both in the Intracoastal Waterway and the Gulf. You can watch them from boats,piers, and even from the shore. They often dive in and out of the wake from boats, leaping high into the air and thrilling their watching audience.
Adjacent islands
Adjacent to Anna Maria Island's bayside is the island of Key Royale, formerly known as School Key. It was uninhabited until 1960, when a bridge was built joining it to the Holmes Beach section of Anna Maria Island and development began. It is included in the city limits of Holmes Beach
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Islands of the World #4: The Florida Keys
We should have started our Islands of the World with the Florida Keys (since we're going to be covering the islands in geographical order, and have started with islands in the Gulf of Mexico, and begun with Florida.)
The Florida Keys are actually over a thousand islands, with only about 20 habitable.
The Florida Keys are the islands that separate the Gulf of Mexico from the Atlantic Ocean... so the west coast of each island borders the Gulf of Mexico, the east coast of each island borders the Atlantic Ocean.
The Florida peninsula juts eastwawrd out into the Atlantic Ocean. At its tip, the Florida keys curl westward into the Gulf.
The islands are exposed portions of an ancient coral reef.
Major islands
Highway 1, the "Overseas Highway" runs over most of the inhabited islands of the Florida Keys. The islands are listed in order from north to southwest.
Upper keys
Keys in Biscayne National Park (accessible only by boat) in Miami-Dade County
Transitional keys
Soldier Key
Ragged Keys
Boca Chita Key
Sands Key
True Florida keys, exposed ancient coral reefs
Elliott Key
Adams Key
Reid Key
Rubicon Keys
Totten Key
Old Rhodes Key
Keys in Monroe County
Key Largo
Plantation Key
Windley Key
Upper Matecumbe Key
Lignumvitae Key
Lower Matecumbe Key
(Plantation Key through Lower Matecumbe Key are incorporated as Islamorada, Village of Islands. The "towns" of Key Largo, North Key Largo and Tavernier, all on the island of Key Largo, are not incorporated.)
Middle keys
Craig Key
Fiesta Key
Long Key (formerly known as Rattlesnake Key)
Conch Key
Duck Key
Grassy Key
Crawl Key
Long Point Key
Fat Deer Key
Key Vaca
Boot Key
Knight's Key
Pigeon Key
(Key Vaca, Boot Key, Fat Deer Key, Long Point Key, Crawl Key, Knight's Key and Grassy Key are incorporated in the city of Marathon)[12]
Lower keys
Little Duck Key
Missouri Key
Ohio Key (also known as Sunshine Key)
Bahia Honda Key
Spanish Harbor Keys
West Summerland Key
No Name Key
Big Pine Key
Little Torch Key
Middle Torch Key
Big Torch Key
Ramrod Key
Summerland Key
Knockemdown Key
Cudjoe Key
Sugarloaf Key
Park Key
Lower Sugarloaf Key
Saddlebunch Keys
Shark Key
Geiger Key
Big Coppitt Key
East Rockland Key
Rockland Key
Boca Chica Key
Key Haven (Raccoon Key)
Stock Island
Key West
Sigsbee Park
Fleming Key
Outlying islands
These are accessible by boat.
Sunset Key
Wisteria Island
the Marquesas Keys
the Dry Tortugas
The Florida Keys are actually over a thousand islands, with only about 20 habitable.
The Florida Keys are the islands that separate the Gulf of Mexico from the Atlantic Ocean... so the west coast of each island borders the Gulf of Mexico, the east coast of each island borders the Atlantic Ocean.
The Florida peninsula juts eastwawrd out into the Atlantic Ocean. At its tip, the Florida keys curl westward into the Gulf.
The islands are exposed portions of an ancient coral reef.
Major islands
Highway 1, the "Overseas Highway" runs over most of the inhabited islands of the Florida Keys. The islands are listed in order from north to southwest.
Upper keys
Keys in Biscayne National Park (accessible only by boat) in Miami-Dade County
Transitional keys
Soldier Key
Ragged Keys
Boca Chita Key
Sands Key
True Florida keys, exposed ancient coral reefs
Elliott Key
Adams Key
Reid Key
Rubicon Keys
Totten Key
Old Rhodes Key
Keys in Monroe County
Key Largo
Plantation Key
Windley Key
Upper Matecumbe Key
Lignumvitae Key
Lower Matecumbe Key
(Plantation Key through Lower Matecumbe Key are incorporated as Islamorada, Village of Islands. The "towns" of Key Largo, North Key Largo and Tavernier, all on the island of Key Largo, are not incorporated.)
Middle keys
Craig Key
Fiesta Key
Long Key (formerly known as Rattlesnake Key)
Conch Key
Duck Key
Grassy Key
Crawl Key
Long Point Key
Fat Deer Key
Key Vaca
Boot Key
Knight's Key
Pigeon Key
(Key Vaca, Boot Key, Fat Deer Key, Long Point Key, Crawl Key, Knight's Key and Grassy Key are incorporated in the city of Marathon)[12]
Lower keys
Little Duck Key
Missouri Key
Ohio Key (also known as Sunshine Key)
Bahia Honda Key
Spanish Harbor Keys
West Summerland Key
No Name Key
Big Pine Key
Little Torch Key
Middle Torch Key
Big Torch Key
Ramrod Key
Summerland Key
Knockemdown Key
Cudjoe Key
Sugarloaf Key
Park Key
Lower Sugarloaf Key
Saddlebunch Keys
Shark Key
Geiger Key
Big Coppitt Key
East Rockland Key
Rockland Key
Boca Chica Key
Key Haven (Raccoon Key)
Stock Island
Key West
Sigsbee Park
Fleming Key
Outlying islands
These are accessible by boat.
Sunset Key
Wisteria Island
the Marquesas Keys
the Dry Tortugas
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Islands of the World #3: Pine Island
From Wikipedia:
Pine Island is an island located in Lee County, Florida, on the Gulf coast of southwest Florida. The Intracoastal Waterway passes through Pine Island Sound, to the west of the island. Matlacha Pass runs between Pine Island and the mainland. Pine Island lies west of Cape Coral.
Geography
Unlike the sandy barrier islands of Sanibel to the south, Captiva to the southwest, and North Captiva to the west, Pine Island is made from the same coral rock as the mainland. Sanibel owes its unique shrimp-like shape (and orientation perpendicular to the coast) to being on the leeward side of the Gulf Stream from Pine Island.
Communities
Pine Island is home to four unincorporated towns: Pine Island Center, Bokeelia, Pineland, and St. James City. Matlacha is also considered one of the communities, but is actually on its own small island. Bokeelia is at the north end of the island, at the mouth of Charlotte Harbor.
Ecology
Pine Island is also home to Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge. Little Pine Island is a state-owned wildlife refuge, currently being "de-developed" and returned to its natural state. Ospreys, herons, egrets and ibises, and, roseate spoonbills are often seen, as well as owls, hawks, bald eagles, and songbirds.
The local form of the marsh rice rat has been recognized in some classifications as a separate subspecies, Oryzomys palustris planirostris.[1]
History
Skeletons unearthed on the island have been dated to about 6000 years ago. The Calusa are thought to have inhabited Pine Island since around the year 300, with a cultural center called Tampa (or Tanpa or Toempe) at the mound-site now known as Pineland, where an archaeological dig is underway. Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León landed near the city in 1513, and careened his ship for repairs in Pine Island Sound. After the Calusa empire collapsed in the 1700s due to war and diseases, the island was only sparsely inhabited until the 1870's.
Hurricanes
Pine Island was hit hard in 2004 when Hurricane Charley passed through the area.
Pine Island is an island located in Lee County, Florida, on the Gulf coast of southwest Florida. The Intracoastal Waterway passes through Pine Island Sound, to the west of the island. Matlacha Pass runs between Pine Island and the mainland. Pine Island lies west of Cape Coral.
Geography
Unlike the sandy barrier islands of Sanibel to the south, Captiva to the southwest, and North Captiva to the west, Pine Island is made from the same coral rock as the mainland. Sanibel owes its unique shrimp-like shape (and orientation perpendicular to the coast) to being on the leeward side of the Gulf Stream from Pine Island.
Communities
Pine Island is home to four unincorporated towns: Pine Island Center, Bokeelia, Pineland, and St. James City. Matlacha is also considered one of the communities, but is actually on its own small island. Bokeelia is at the north end of the island, at the mouth of Charlotte Harbor.
Ecology
Pine Island is also home to Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge. Little Pine Island is a state-owned wildlife refuge, currently being "de-developed" and returned to its natural state. Ospreys, herons, egrets and ibises, and, roseate spoonbills are often seen, as well as owls, hawks, bald eagles, and songbirds.
The local form of the marsh rice rat has been recognized in some classifications as a separate subspecies, Oryzomys palustris planirostris.[1]
History
Skeletons unearthed on the island have been dated to about 6000 years ago. The Calusa are thought to have inhabited Pine Island since around the year 300, with a cultural center called Tampa (or Tanpa or Toempe) at the mound-site now known as Pineland, where an archaeological dig is underway. Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León landed near the city in 1513, and careened his ship for repairs in Pine Island Sound. After the Calusa empire collapsed in the 1700s due to war and diseases, the island was only sparsely inhabited until the 1870's.
Hurricanes
Pine Island was hit hard in 2004 when Hurricane Charley passed through the area.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Islands of the World #2: Sanibel Island
From Wikipedia:
Sanibel Island is an island located on the Gulf coast of Florida, just offshore of Fort Myers. In 2000, it had an estimated population of 6,064 people. Located within Lee County, Sanibel is a barrier island – a collection of sand on the leeward side of the Gulf Stream from the more solid coral-rock of Pine Island.
The city of Sanibel incorporates the entire island, with most of the city proper at the east end of the island. After the Sanibel causeway was built to replace the ferry in May 1963, the residents fought back against overdevelopment by establishing the Sanibel Comprehensive Land Use Plan in 1974 helping to maintain a balance between development and preservation of the island's ecology. A new, higher bridge without a bascule (drawbridge) having to open for tall boats and sailboats, was completed in late 2007.
Thanks in part to the new causeway, Sanibel is rapidly becoming a popular tourist destination known for its beaches, shelling, and wildlife refuges. More than half of the island is made up of wildlife refuges, the largest one is the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge. The Island also hosts the Sanibel Historical Village and a variety of other museums and theaters.In August 2004 Hurricane Charley hit the island causing mandatory evacuation for the island's residents and resulting in the most damage done to the island in 44 years.
History
Sanibel and Captiva formed as one island about 6000 years ago. The first humans in the area were the Calusa, who arrived about 2500 years ago. The Calusa were a powerful Indian nation who came to dominate most of Southwest Florida through trade and their elaborate system of canals and waterways. Sanibel remained an important Calusa settlement until the collapse of their empire, soon after the arrival of the Europeans.
In 1765 the first known appearance of a harbor on Sanibel is labeled on a map, listed as Puerto de S. Nivel. An official Spanish map from 1768 identifies the island as Puerto de S. Nibel (the "v" and "b" being interchangeable); thus, the name may have evolved from "San Nibel". Alternately, the name may derive, as many believe, from "(Santa) Ybel", which survives in the old placename "Point Ybel", where the Sanibel Island Light is located. How it would have gotten this name, however is a matter of conjecture.
One story says it was named by Juan Ponce de León for Queen Isabella I of Castile; the island may indeed be named for this queen or the saint whose name she shares, either by Ponce de León or someone later. Another tale says it was named by Roderigo Lopez, the first mate of José Gaspar (Gasparilla), after his beautiful lover Sanibel whom he had left behind in Spain. Like most of the lore surrounding Gasparilla, however, this story is apocryphal, as the above references to recognizable variants of the name predate the buccaneer's supposed reign.
Sanibel is not the only island in the area to figure prominently in the legends of Gaspar; Captiva, Useppa, and Gasparilla are also connected. Sanibel also appears in another tale, this one involving Gaspar's ally-turned-rival Black Caesar, said to have been a former Haitian slave who escaped during the Haitian Revolution to become a pirate. According to folklore, Black Caesar came to the Gulf of Mexico during the War of 1812 to avoid interference from the British. In the Gulf he became friends with Gasparilla, who allowed him to set up on Sanibel Island. Eventually the old Spaniard discovered Caesar had been stealing from him and chased him off, but not before his loot had been buried.
Legendary pirate's dens aside, the first modern settlement on Sanibel (then spelled "Sanybel") was established by the Florida Peninsular Land Company in 1832. The colony never took off, and was abandoned by 1849. It was this first group that first petitioned for a lighthouse on the island. The island was re-populated after the implementation of the Homestead Act in 1862, and again a lighthouse was petitioned.
Construction on the Sanibel Island Lighthouse was completed in 1884, but the community remained small. In May 1963 a causeway linking Sanibel and Captiva to the mainland was opened, resulting in an explosion of growth. The City of Sanibel passed new restrictions on development after it was incorporated; these were challenged by developers, to no avail. Currently the only buildings on the island taller than two stories date before 1974, and there are no fast food or chain restaurants allowed on the island except a Dairy Queen, which was on the island before the laws were enacted. A new causeway was completed in 2007; it replaced the worn out 1963 spans, which were not designed to carry heavy loads or large numbers of vehicles. The new bridge features a "flyover" span tall enough for sailboats to pass under, replacing the old bridge's bascule drawbridge span. The original bridge was demolished and its remains were sunk into the water to create artificial reefs in the Gulf of Mexico.
Ecology
The island's curved shrimp-like shape forms Tarpon Bay on the north side of the island. It is linked to the mainland by the Sanibel Causeway, which runs across two small manmade islets and the Intracoastal Waterway. A short bridge links Sanibel Island to Captiva Island over Blind Pass. The Gulf side beaches are excellent on both islands, and are world renowned for their variety of seashells, which include coquinas, scallops, whelks, sand dollars, and other deeper-water mollusks, both univalve and bivalve. The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum is the only museum in the world dedicated to the study of shells.
Sanibel Island is home to a good variety of birds, including the Roseate Spoonbill and several nesting pairs of Bald Eagles. Birds can be seen on the beaches, the causeway islands, and the reserves, including J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge. Common sights include pelicans, herons, egrets, and Anhingas, as well as the more common birds like terns, sandpipers, and seagulls. There is a population of American Alligators, and a lone rare American Crocodile has been seen at the refuge as well. Plants on the island include the native sea grape, sea oats, mangroves, and several types of palm trees. The Australian pine is an introduced species that has spread throughout the island, to some extent overpowering native vegetation and trees. Once mature, the pine blocks sunlight and drops a thick bed of pine needles that affect the soil's pH and prevents new native growth.The ground is very soft.
The local form of the marsh rice rat has been recognized in some classifications as a separate subspecies, Oryzomys palustris sanibeli.
Wildlife Refuges
Preserving the island's natural ecology has always been important to its citizens and visitors alike. A driving force in the preservation of the island is the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation which was founded in 1967 with a mission to "preserve natural resources and wildlife habitat on and around the islands of Sanibel and Captiva."
1300 acres of land on Sanibel are under the supervision of the Foundation; included in this land there is a "Marine Laboratory which actively conducts research in areas including seagrasses, mangroves, harmful algal blooms, fish populations and shellfish restoration."
Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation also has a project called RECON (River, Estuary and Coastal Observing Network) which includes a "network of eight in-water sensors that provide real-time, hourly readings of key water quality parameters." The foundation is also serves to protect the wildlife on the island and has a variety of education programs designed to instruct people about the island's unique ecology.
The biggest wildlife refuge on the island is the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, around a million visitors a year come here making it one of the most visited refuges in the United States. Covering more than 5,200 acres of land, the refuge strives to ensure that these lands are "preserved, restored and maintained as a haven for indigenous and migratory wildlife as part of a nation-wide network of Refuges administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service" The lands also serve to provide a home for many endangered and threatened species.
Currently the refuge provides a home for over 220 species of birds native to the island. Visitors to the refuge can walk, bike, drive, or kayak though the wildlife drive which takes you through five miles of mangrove tree forests and tidal flats, this drive is prefect for watching the island's wildlife and looking at the island's native vegetation.
To show that preserving the wildlife really is important, the drive is closed one day every week, Friday, so that the wildlife can have a day to themselves where they can scavenge for food closer to the drive and not have to be bothered by or fearful of humans. There is also an education center which features "interactive exhibits on refuge ecosystems, the life and work of "Ding" Darling, migratory flyways, and the National Wildlife Refuge System."
Beaches
Known for their premium shelling, Sanibel beaches attract visitors from all around the world. The large amount of shells that wash up on the island happen as a result of Sanibel being a barrier island with an unusual layout having an "east-west orientation when most islands are north-south. Hence, the island is gifted with great sandy beaches and an abundance of shells."
It is also due to the fact that Sanibel is "part of a large plateau that extends out into the Gulf of Mexico for miles. It is this plateau that acts like a shelf for seashells to gather." Throughout the year, many people come to the beaches of Sanibel to gather up these beautiful shells to add to their collection. People are often seen bending down looking for sea shells, and this posture has been named the "Sanibel Stoop."
There are beaches everywhere on the island, even on the way to the island there are beaches along the causeway which are great to fish and windsurf off of. However, beach parking is very limited and often unavailable. Lighthouse Beach is named after the famous Sanibel Lighthouse, which includes a popular fishing pier and nature trails. The most secluded beach on the island is Bowman's beach, there is not a hotel in sight and it is known for its "pristine and quiet" atmosphere.
Barron's selected Sanibel and Captiva Islands as one of the 10 Best Places for Second Homes in 2010.
Climate
Sanibel Island, located in southern Florida, has a climate that is "subtropical and humid" with temperatures ranging from 60°F (16°C) in midwinter to around 90°F (32.2°C) in the summer.
January through April (peak tourist season on the island) have the coolest temperatures ranging from 75°F during the day to a cool 55°F at night, there is very little rainfall on the island during these months.
The summer heat and humidity on the island, which has been recorded as high as 100°F, is cooled by the ocean seabreezes from the Gulf of Mexico, and by almost daily afternoon and evening rain showers, which is responsible for much of the island's rainfall. June is when the Island gets most of its rainfall.
The area is prone to being hit by tropical cyclones and hurricanes, the hurricane season starts in June but most of the activity occurs in September and October. However, local communities have "adapted to cope with these occasional storm threats."
Hurricanes
Southwest Florida rarely suffers direct strikes by hurricanes, but every 20 or so years it takes a significant hit, and about every 40 years a major one. Most of these have had an impact on Sanibel. On August 13, 2004, Sanibel Island was hit hard by Hurricane Charley, a category four hurricane with 143 mph winds.
It was the strongest to hit Southwest Florida since Hurricane Donna in September 1960.
While much of the native vegetation survived, the non-native Australian pines suffered serious damage, blocking nearly every road. Wildlife officials were also concerned that nests of birds and sea turtles were destroyed. The Sanibel Lighthouse survived with little damage, and the Sanibel Causeway suffered relatively minor damage, save for a toll booth tilted partly over, and erosion of a small seawall. Blind Pass was again cut through, but refilled less than one month later.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,064 people, 3,049 households, and 2,125 families residing in the city. The population density was 352.4/mi² (136.0/km²). There were 7,075 housing units at an average density of 411.2/mi² (158.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.99% White, 0.94% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.12% from other races, and 0.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.39% of the population.
There were 3,049 households out of which 10.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.3% were married couples living together, 3.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.3% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.99 and the average family size was 2.33.
In the city the population was spread out with 10.1% under the age of 18, 1.7% from 18 to 24, 12.4% from 25 to 44, 35.8% from 45 to 64, and 40.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 60 years. For every 100 females there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $79,044, and the median income for a family was $92,455. Males had a median income of $40,641 versus $27,481 for females. The per capita income for the city was $66,912. About 2.0% of families and 3.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.8% of those under age 18 and 1.5% of those age 65 or over.
Notable residents
R. Tucker Abbott, leading conchologist
Horace William Baden Donegan, English prelate
Clifton Fadiman, author and radio/TV personality
Helaine Fendelman, appraiser
Porter J. Goss, former CIA director
Jean Shepherd, author, screenwriter and radio raconteur
Sanibel Island is an island located on the Gulf coast of Florida, just offshore of Fort Myers. In 2000, it had an estimated population of 6,064 people. Located within Lee County, Sanibel is a barrier island – a collection of sand on the leeward side of the Gulf Stream from the more solid coral-rock of Pine Island.
The city of Sanibel incorporates the entire island, with most of the city proper at the east end of the island. After the Sanibel causeway was built to replace the ferry in May 1963, the residents fought back against overdevelopment by establishing the Sanibel Comprehensive Land Use Plan in 1974 helping to maintain a balance between development and preservation of the island's ecology. A new, higher bridge without a bascule (drawbridge) having to open for tall boats and sailboats, was completed in late 2007.
Thanks in part to the new causeway, Sanibel is rapidly becoming a popular tourist destination known for its beaches, shelling, and wildlife refuges. More than half of the island is made up of wildlife refuges, the largest one is the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge. The Island also hosts the Sanibel Historical Village and a variety of other museums and theaters.In August 2004 Hurricane Charley hit the island causing mandatory evacuation for the island's residents and resulting in the most damage done to the island in 44 years.
History
Sanibel and Captiva formed as one island about 6000 years ago. The first humans in the area were the Calusa, who arrived about 2500 years ago. The Calusa were a powerful Indian nation who came to dominate most of Southwest Florida through trade and their elaborate system of canals and waterways. Sanibel remained an important Calusa settlement until the collapse of their empire, soon after the arrival of the Europeans.
In 1765 the first known appearance of a harbor on Sanibel is labeled on a map, listed as Puerto de S. Nivel. An official Spanish map from 1768 identifies the island as Puerto de S. Nibel (the "v" and "b" being interchangeable); thus, the name may have evolved from "San Nibel". Alternately, the name may derive, as many believe, from "(Santa) Ybel", which survives in the old placename "Point Ybel", where the Sanibel Island Light is located. How it would have gotten this name, however is a matter of conjecture.
One story says it was named by Juan Ponce de León for Queen Isabella I of Castile; the island may indeed be named for this queen or the saint whose name she shares, either by Ponce de León or someone later. Another tale says it was named by Roderigo Lopez, the first mate of José Gaspar (Gasparilla), after his beautiful lover Sanibel whom he had left behind in Spain. Like most of the lore surrounding Gasparilla, however, this story is apocryphal, as the above references to recognizable variants of the name predate the buccaneer's supposed reign.
Sanibel is not the only island in the area to figure prominently in the legends of Gaspar; Captiva, Useppa, and Gasparilla are also connected. Sanibel also appears in another tale, this one involving Gaspar's ally-turned-rival Black Caesar, said to have been a former Haitian slave who escaped during the Haitian Revolution to become a pirate. According to folklore, Black Caesar came to the Gulf of Mexico during the War of 1812 to avoid interference from the British. In the Gulf he became friends with Gasparilla, who allowed him to set up on Sanibel Island. Eventually the old Spaniard discovered Caesar had been stealing from him and chased him off, but not before his loot had been buried.
Legendary pirate's dens aside, the first modern settlement on Sanibel (then spelled "Sanybel") was established by the Florida Peninsular Land Company in 1832. The colony never took off, and was abandoned by 1849. It was this first group that first petitioned for a lighthouse on the island. The island was re-populated after the implementation of the Homestead Act in 1862, and again a lighthouse was petitioned.
Construction on the Sanibel Island Lighthouse was completed in 1884, but the community remained small. In May 1963 a causeway linking Sanibel and Captiva to the mainland was opened, resulting in an explosion of growth. The City of Sanibel passed new restrictions on development after it was incorporated; these were challenged by developers, to no avail. Currently the only buildings on the island taller than two stories date before 1974, and there are no fast food or chain restaurants allowed on the island except a Dairy Queen, which was on the island before the laws were enacted. A new causeway was completed in 2007; it replaced the worn out 1963 spans, which were not designed to carry heavy loads or large numbers of vehicles. The new bridge features a "flyover" span tall enough for sailboats to pass under, replacing the old bridge's bascule drawbridge span. The original bridge was demolished and its remains were sunk into the water to create artificial reefs in the Gulf of Mexico.
Ecology
The island's curved shrimp-like shape forms Tarpon Bay on the north side of the island. It is linked to the mainland by the Sanibel Causeway, which runs across two small manmade islets and the Intracoastal Waterway. A short bridge links Sanibel Island to Captiva Island over Blind Pass. The Gulf side beaches are excellent on both islands, and are world renowned for their variety of seashells, which include coquinas, scallops, whelks, sand dollars, and other deeper-water mollusks, both univalve and bivalve. The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum is the only museum in the world dedicated to the study of shells.
Sanibel Island is home to a good variety of birds, including the Roseate Spoonbill and several nesting pairs of Bald Eagles. Birds can be seen on the beaches, the causeway islands, and the reserves, including J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge. Common sights include pelicans, herons, egrets, and Anhingas, as well as the more common birds like terns, sandpipers, and seagulls. There is a population of American Alligators, and a lone rare American Crocodile has been seen at the refuge as well. Plants on the island include the native sea grape, sea oats, mangroves, and several types of palm trees. The Australian pine is an introduced species that has spread throughout the island, to some extent overpowering native vegetation and trees. Once mature, the pine blocks sunlight and drops a thick bed of pine needles that affect the soil's pH and prevents new native growth.The ground is very soft.
The local form of the marsh rice rat has been recognized in some classifications as a separate subspecies, Oryzomys palustris sanibeli.
Wildlife Refuges
Preserving the island's natural ecology has always been important to its citizens and visitors alike. A driving force in the preservation of the island is the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation which was founded in 1967 with a mission to "preserve natural resources and wildlife habitat on and around the islands of Sanibel and Captiva."
1300 acres of land on Sanibel are under the supervision of the Foundation; included in this land there is a "Marine Laboratory which actively conducts research in areas including seagrasses, mangroves, harmful algal blooms, fish populations and shellfish restoration."
Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation also has a project called RECON (River, Estuary and Coastal Observing Network) which includes a "network of eight in-water sensors that provide real-time, hourly readings of key water quality parameters." The foundation is also serves to protect the wildlife on the island and has a variety of education programs designed to instruct people about the island's unique ecology.
The biggest wildlife refuge on the island is the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, around a million visitors a year come here making it one of the most visited refuges in the United States. Covering more than 5,200 acres of land, the refuge strives to ensure that these lands are "preserved, restored and maintained as a haven for indigenous and migratory wildlife as part of a nation-wide network of Refuges administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service" The lands also serve to provide a home for many endangered and threatened species.
Currently the refuge provides a home for over 220 species of birds native to the island. Visitors to the refuge can walk, bike, drive, or kayak though the wildlife drive which takes you through five miles of mangrove tree forests and tidal flats, this drive is prefect for watching the island's wildlife and looking at the island's native vegetation.
To show that preserving the wildlife really is important, the drive is closed one day every week, Friday, so that the wildlife can have a day to themselves where they can scavenge for food closer to the drive and not have to be bothered by or fearful of humans. There is also an education center which features "interactive exhibits on refuge ecosystems, the life and work of "Ding" Darling, migratory flyways, and the National Wildlife Refuge System."
Beaches
Known for their premium shelling, Sanibel beaches attract visitors from all around the world. The large amount of shells that wash up on the island happen as a result of Sanibel being a barrier island with an unusual layout having an "east-west orientation when most islands are north-south. Hence, the island is gifted with great sandy beaches and an abundance of shells."
It is also due to the fact that Sanibel is "part of a large plateau that extends out into the Gulf of Mexico for miles. It is this plateau that acts like a shelf for seashells to gather." Throughout the year, many people come to the beaches of Sanibel to gather up these beautiful shells to add to their collection. People are often seen bending down looking for sea shells, and this posture has been named the "Sanibel Stoop."
There are beaches everywhere on the island, even on the way to the island there are beaches along the causeway which are great to fish and windsurf off of. However, beach parking is very limited and often unavailable. Lighthouse Beach is named after the famous Sanibel Lighthouse, which includes a popular fishing pier and nature trails. The most secluded beach on the island is Bowman's beach, there is not a hotel in sight and it is known for its "pristine and quiet" atmosphere.
Barron's selected Sanibel and Captiva Islands as one of the 10 Best Places for Second Homes in 2010.
Climate
Sanibel Island, located in southern Florida, has a climate that is "subtropical and humid" with temperatures ranging from 60°F (16°C) in midwinter to around 90°F (32.2°C) in the summer.
January through April (peak tourist season on the island) have the coolest temperatures ranging from 75°F during the day to a cool 55°F at night, there is very little rainfall on the island during these months.
The summer heat and humidity on the island, which has been recorded as high as 100°F, is cooled by the ocean seabreezes from the Gulf of Mexico, and by almost daily afternoon and evening rain showers, which is responsible for much of the island's rainfall. June is when the Island gets most of its rainfall.
The area is prone to being hit by tropical cyclones and hurricanes, the hurricane season starts in June but most of the activity occurs in September and October. However, local communities have "adapted to cope with these occasional storm threats."
Hurricanes
Southwest Florida rarely suffers direct strikes by hurricanes, but every 20 or so years it takes a significant hit, and about every 40 years a major one. Most of these have had an impact on Sanibel. On August 13, 2004, Sanibel Island was hit hard by Hurricane Charley, a category four hurricane with 143 mph winds.
It was the strongest to hit Southwest Florida since Hurricane Donna in September 1960.
While much of the native vegetation survived, the non-native Australian pines suffered serious damage, blocking nearly every road. Wildlife officials were also concerned that nests of birds and sea turtles were destroyed. The Sanibel Lighthouse survived with little damage, and the Sanibel Causeway suffered relatively minor damage, save for a toll booth tilted partly over, and erosion of a small seawall. Blind Pass was again cut through, but refilled less than one month later.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,064 people, 3,049 households, and 2,125 families residing in the city. The population density was 352.4/mi² (136.0/km²). There were 7,075 housing units at an average density of 411.2/mi² (158.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.99% White, 0.94% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.12% from other races, and 0.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.39% of the population.
There were 3,049 households out of which 10.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.3% were married couples living together, 3.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.3% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.99 and the average family size was 2.33.
In the city the population was spread out with 10.1% under the age of 18, 1.7% from 18 to 24, 12.4% from 25 to 44, 35.8% from 45 to 64, and 40.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 60 years. For every 100 females there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $79,044, and the median income for a family was $92,455. Males had a median income of $40,641 versus $27,481 for females. The per capita income for the city was $66,912. About 2.0% of families and 3.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.8% of those under age 18 and 1.5% of those age 65 or over.
Notable residents
R. Tucker Abbott, leading conchologist
Horace William Baden Donegan, English prelate
Clifton Fadiman, author and radio/TV personality
Helaine Fendelman, appraiser
Porter J. Goss, former CIA director
Jean Shepherd, author, screenwriter and radio raconteur
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Islands of the World #1: Captiva, Florida
http://www.gulfbase.org/ is a database of information about the Gulf of Mexico.
There are several reefs, banks, and a few islands in the Gulf of Mexico... none of which show up on a typical globe of the world, but I'm going to ask you to acquire one anyway. It will be useful as we continue to explore the islands of the world.
Most of the islands in the Gulf of Mexico are barrier islands, quite close to the mainland of which they are a part. We start with Florida, and Captiva Island.
From Wikipedia:
There are several reefs, banks, and a few islands in the Gulf of Mexico... none of which show up on a typical globe of the world, but I'm going to ask you to acquire one anyway. It will be useful as we continue to explore the islands of the world.
Most of the islands in the Gulf of Mexico are barrier islands, quite close to the mainland of which they are a part. We start with Florida, and Captiva Island.
From Wikipedia:
Captiva Island is an island in Lee County in southwest Florida, located just offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. Originally part of neighboring Sanibel Island to the southeast, it was severed when a hurricane's storm surge washed away a new channel,[when?] called Blind Pass, which had filled in over the years but was reopened during a dredging project in the summer of 2009. Like Sanibel, Captiva is a barrier island to Pine Island (to the east of Captiva and north of Sanibel), however it is much narrower. The only automobile access to Captiva is via the Sanibel Causeway and Sanibel-Captiva Road, which ends in the CDP of Captiva, the island's only CDP. Captiva was homesteaded in 1888 and a tiny cemetery next to The Chapel by the Sea has the grave of the original resident, William Herbert Binder (1850-1932), an Austrian. Half the island is in private ownership, with "Millionaire's Row", luxury homes on gulf and bay side of "San-Cap" road. The South Seas Island Resort entry gate is at the end of this road. Roosevelt Channel on the east side of the island, is named for Theodore Roosevelt who fished there.
North Captiva Island or Upper Captiva is another island, in turn severed from Captiva in a 1921 hurricane, creating Redfish Pass. North Captiva has power from lines that originate on the north end of Captiva, and is privately owned. With about 300 homes built and 300 vacant lots, the island is about half way to build-out. Since the island can be accessed by boat or small plane only, North Captiva real estate values are generally lower than on Captiva.
Damage on Captiva Island from Hurricane CharleyCaptiva was seriously damaged in August 2004 when the eastern eyewall of Hurricane Charley struck North Captiva, immediately before hitting Charlotte Harbor to the north-northeast. Initial reports indicated that 160 buildings were destroyed and another 160 seriously damaged. Although there are reports that the storm surge cut a path 400 yards (366 m) wide across the narrowest part of North Captiva, separating the island, local fishermen have said that the separation of the two halves of the island was actually caused by a series of tornadoes that passed through the area in September of 2001.[citation needed] The new pass has not been formally named, but the locals call it "Charley Pass" or "The North Cap Gap". It has since filled in with sand and reunited the island.
Captiva is the part-time home of many famous people and was the full-time home of world renowned artist Robert Rauschenberg. South Seas Island Resort and Yacht Harbor, a 330-acre (1.3 km2) resort, resides on the northern two miles (3 km) of Captiva Island. The Wall Street Journal selected Sanibel and Captiva Islands as one of the 10 Best Places for Second Homes in 2010.
According to local folklore, Captiva got its name because the pirate captain José Gaspar (Gasparilla) held his female prisoners on the island for ransom or worse. However, the supposed existence of Jose Gaspar is sourced from an advertising brochure of an early 20th century developer and may be a fabrication.
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